Abnormal Psychology: Schizophrenia

Abstract

The paper is about abnormal psychology and more particularly, the schizophrenia disorder. This is a disorder mainly occurring in early stages of childhood and in pregnant women due to either genetic or biological causes, psychological causes or social causes. The disease, like most mental disorders affect the brain and causes symptoms like disorganized thinking, hallucinations, delusions among other signs. There are several approaches as to the treatment of the disease as indicated in current research some of which are the use of antipsychotic drugs which has the benefit of integrating the patient back to the society by providing them with a well organized life. Others include the cognitive behavior approach and the psychosocial approach where the patient is involved in treatment through a team approach. Furthermore, the various approaches used in prevention of the disorder as well as the cross-cultural issues pertaining the disorder and how to prevent them. Lastly, the paper discuses the Christian world views of the disorder and its causes, treatment and prevention.

Abnormal Psychology: Schizophrenia

Introduction

The word abnormal means deviating from the norm but in Psychology, abnormal is defined from the viewpoint of maladaptiveness either to personality or to humanity. On the other hand, abnormal psychology is the field of psychology concerned with the study of strange patterns of actions, thinking or emotion all of which directly affects the well being of the individual and those around them as well as hinder growth and completion of the individual potential. There are several disorders associated with abnormal psychology anxiety disorders, personal disorders, schizophrenia, sexual disorders, somatoform disorders, adjustment disorders, development disorders, cognitive disorders and dissociative disorders. Schizophrenia is a collection of disorders characterized by the loss of touch with reality, noticeable disturbances of thinking and perception, significant occupational or social problems, and delusions. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the Schizophrenia in accordance to historical content, current research on the illness, treatment, prevention, and cross-cultural illnesses.

Historical content

The word schizophrenia was first discovered by a German physician named Dr. Emile Kraepelin in 1887 but the illness is as old as mankind himself. The first evidence of the disease was found in written documents which are as old as before Christ. One such book is the ‘Book of Heart’ which contained details about dementia and depression which had typical signs of schizophrenia and in Egypt, the heart and the mind had similar meanings and the physical illnesses were accorded as symptoms of the heart and uterus instigated from the blood vessels.

Dr. Emile was the first to classify the mental disorders into different classes and referred to them as “Dementia Praecox” which was observed in patients presently associated with Schizophrenia (Shean 2004, P.12),. Emile just classified Schizophrenia as a unique mental disorder although the concept of madness, though undefined, had been there for thousands of years. The work by Emile was based on two distinct disorders which were dementia praecox and manic depression where dementia praecox (or early dementia) was principally connected with the brain and was a form of dementia which differed from Alzheimer’s disease of the old. This was because his study was based on young adults.

In 1911, a Swiss Psychiatrist named Eugen Bleuler (Shean 2004, P.16), introduced the ‘Schizophrenia’ and also described the positive and negative symptoms before changing the name to Schizophrenia to prove that Emile’s description was misleading and the disease was also apparent in old age. The term Schizophrenia is coined from the Greek word ‘Schizo’ which means split and ‘Phrene’ which means mind and is used to describe the segmented thinking of the patients with this disorder. As classified in DSM IV, Eugen and Kraepelin categorized schizophrenia according to prognoses and symptoms as: residual, paranoid, undifferentiated, disorganized and Catatonic.

Current research to the cause of Schizophrenia

Following the classifications of Schizophrenia by Emile and Kraepelin, as still employed in the DSM IV, there have been questions by scientists on just how useful the information is in forecasting the outcome of the disorder and the low reliability of such classifications for diagnosis. In this regard, scientists have continued to use other means such as the preponderance of negative and positive signs to classify the various types associated with the disorder. All this is in the hope that the there will be a differentiation between the various types schizophrenia and this will facilitate in the determination of the different etiologies.

The major causes of Schizophrenia could be genetic, or as a result of excess dopamine in the brain (Weinberger and Harrison 2011). Current research has led to the convergence of fact that there is a close association between biological predilection and the physical surroundings to the cause of Schizophrenia. For instance, it has been currently identified that genetic predilection and environmental stressors during pregnancy or in early stages of childhood have resulted to the interference with brain development an element that has led to slight brain modifications causing vulnerability of the affected persons to Schizophrenia.

In addition, further damage to the brain during early childhood and adolescent increasing the risk of schizophrenia (Weinberger and Harrison 2011). As of the current stand, scientists have it that the causes of schizophrenia and mental illnesses are a permutation of biological, psychological and social factors a concept called Bio-psycho-social model. Neither the biological nor the ecological categories is fully determinate as there is no specific quantity of input can determine who develops schizophrenia or not. For instance a person with strong mental disorders family history, or a mixture of pregnancy factors and stress, and other prenatal factors have high vulnerability.

Treatment approaches for Schizophrenia and their benefits

Treatment:

To contain schizophrenia, the most common attributes are medications and psychosocial interventions as there is no treatment approach considered as effective for all patients. The best way out as of this far is the one that highlights hope, social inclusion, and empowerment (Weinberger and Harrison 2011). The cornerstone to schizophrenia treatment for children and adolescents is antipsychotic drugs. These young patients require that a multimodal healing wrap up that combines individual and family counsellling, pharmacotherapy and specification to meet communal and educational needs.

Another approach for treatment of schizophrenia is the psychosocial approach which involves the Assertive community treatment where the community is assisted to integrate with mental illness patients while emphasizing on team approach within a community setting. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of psychotherapy in which the patients is challenged to change some particular beliefs that they posses and this assists the patients to change their behavior and the way they process certain ideas and treat depression.

Benefits

The main benefits to Antipsychotic treatment are prevention of schizophrenia in case of early intervention. This serves as an identification of the onset of deterioration for vulnerable individuals. As of the psychosocial approach it promotes effective use of medications as it necessitates careful evaluations of diagnosis and end symptoms, well argued alternatives of medications such as novel antipsychotic, suitable dosing and therapy interval, as well as the supervision of side effects (Weinberger and Harrison 2011). The main benefit of the cognitive behavioral therapy is to assist the patient to try and understand the world differently.

Prevention of Schizophrenia

It is clear from research that the main causes of schizophrenia are genetic predilection and ecological stressors in early childhood which results to adjustments in the brain making the person more vulnerable to schizophrenia (Compton 2010). In addition, other factors like environmental factors and stresses later in life further damage the susceptible brain alleviate the danger of schizophrenia. Apart from understanding the concept behind the establishment of schizophrenia, research also suggests that individuals and families can participate in important actions to reduce the susceptibility of schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. The main risks for someone to get schizophrenia is on an average of one percent for people with no family history of mental disorders and three percent for a person whose family has a history of schizophrenia.

The prevention of schizophrenia is subdivided into several classes: the prevention for teens, and those for parents with teens and before and during pregnancy. As of teenagers and young adults, it is advisable that they avoid, the use of street drugs, and exercise moderate consumption of alcohol (Compton 2010). In addition, one should avoid social isolation, and continually enlarge their social skills, sustain friendships with adults, partake in the optimistic views of the world learn how to handle life stresses and worries.

As for the parents, they should establish consistent, affectionate and low-stress relationships. In addition, parents should ensure they resolve differences and familiarize themselves with the skills available for conflict resolution (Compton 2010). As of women, , pregnancies should be planed for at least three or more months before pregnancy, participating in pre-pregnancy check ups, using multivitamins, building healthy weight and avoid sexually transmitted diseases and remaining under low or no stress and anxiety.

Cross-cultural issues pertaining schizophrenia

Over the past several decades, several issues have emerged in the diagnosis of mental disorders. The earliest issues were based on ethnic variation in the schizophrenia symptomatology while the other was on international studies based on cross-cultural comparisons amidst several groups from developing countries and those from western countries. Various studies have shown that the clinical and social course of schizophrenia is higher than in developing countries than in the developed countries.

Research has shown that, for non-western health attendants have discovered a higher risk of suffering from schizophrenia as compared to patients from developed or western countries. Cultural factors are also thought to affect the expression of symptoms and community responses as stated by Elkin (2003). For instance patients from Asia, Latin America, and African cultures have a greater incidence of delusions and hallucinations and even some like the Latin Americans experience dilutions from religion and those of God and saints.

In addition, the content of the hallucinations and delusions can be thought of as being influenced by culture (Elkin 2003). For instance, patients of schizophrenia in the United States may believe they are being followed by the FBI or, spirits or witches for developing countries like Asia and Africa. As a result of the misconception of the symptoms, there are cases of misdiagnosis associated for the patients. It is therefore important that the patient’s cultural background is considered, investigated and ascertained to avoid misdiagnosis. Such patients include those from Africa and Latin Americans of low social economic communities as their depression is compelled by psychotic aspects. This is will go a long way in the prevention of high doses prescriptions that may result irreversibility of the disorder. Patients from cultures associated with witch craft and sorcery are also at risk (Elkin 2003).

Christian worldview perspective of schizophrenia

There are many Christian perspectives concerning the schizophrenic and other mental disorders. For instance, some Christians in the world today believe that mental disorders are sin, others believe that mental disorders are as a result of sin while still others conquer with scientists that mental disorders like schizophrenia are ordinary human illnesses. For those claiming that schizophrenia like all other mental disorders are a sin, they support themselves by saying that, this is a punishment for sin for fear and despair, and its main root is disbelief.

According to Somers and Satel (2005) the dependency of a society on socialism is impractical and it loses the meaning associated with human nature. The two argue that, mental therapism is against the reality associated to humanity and it has the effects of trauma, inconsistency and loss of life. What humans should do is learn to seek healing from God by first confessing their sins for the mercy of God to remain effective in their lives and this will result to healing by the forgiveness of their sins.

For instance, the bible in the book of Luke chapter 7 verses 48, Jesus healed a woman who was suffering from Hemophilia for 12 years of her life by telling her that her sins had been forgiven. In addition, there are other instances in the Bible where Jesus healed the sick and paralytic by forgiving their sins. In the same case, Somers and Satel (2005) argue that people in the world should stop their dependency on psychiatrists and drugs for healing as this will just cause them trauma and stress. By trusting in God, the woman believed and she received healing which was associated with no aftermath as is common for most pharmacological approaches.

Summary

This paper is a discussion of schizophrenic disorder which is a psychiatric disorder that is usually associated with malfunctions like perceptions, thinking, hallucinations, and expressions in reality or social significance. According to history, the disease symptoms have been there ever since the times before Christ. The actual discovery of Schizophrenia was by Emile and Eugen who classified the disease into five categories namely: paranoid, disorganized, residual, undifferentiated and catatonic disorders.

According to the paper, current research shows that the causes of Schizophrenia can be designated as Bio-psycho-social causes which revolve around the biological, social and physiological causes. In addition, the paper has discussed the various approaches used in the treatment of the disorder some of which are the cognitive behavioral approach and the psychosocial approaches and the benefits associated with them to the patients. In addition the paper has outlined the various ways to prevent the occurrence of the disorder especially in teenagers and before and during pregnancy. Finally, the paper has discussed the cross cultural and Christian worldview on the disorder and how Christians should be approach the disease and any other mental diseases and stop depending on psychiatrists.